Three First Time Winners Headline at Gamblers Raceway Park

Bill Walker

4/13/03

Mother Nature must like gamblers because for the second week in a row Joey C. and the staff threw the dice and rolled a 7. The trio of Frank McVay, Tom Holden and Dave Lyon drew Aces and picked up career first victories in the Bob Welch memorial with trophies being presented by Little’s 322 Drive-In Auto Sales at the quarter mile speed plant.

First on the blocks were the Vocelli Pizza Street Stocks with Rich Howell and Frank McVey on the front row looking for the win. With three cautions before a single green flag lap was completed, starter Mike Frisco lined the field up single file for the start. Rich Howell jumped out to an early lead with Frank McVay on his bumper. Before the second lap could be completed McVay powered by and never looked back. Kip Charles made his way to the second position and challenged the second half of the race for the top spot but McVay held off every shot to claim his career first victory. Following McVay across the line were Charles, Howell, Ray Billotte and Scott Alvetro in the top five. Heats were won by Howell, McVay and Trent Ogden.

Next up were the Sid’s Subs Small Block Modifieds, with Tom Holden and Bill Krause leading the field of fourteen to the green flag. Holden was able to get out front and hold off challenges from first Krause then Mike Butterworth who hounded him most of the way. As Mark Frankhouser, Fay Lumadue and Jimmy Holden battled for position Bob Garvey was quietly making his way forward and by the end had secured a top five finish. Following Holden for the top five positions at the checkers were Butterworth, Krause, Frankhouser and Garvey. Picking up heat wins were Holden and Krause. The event was slowed buy just two cautions.

Next in line were the Budweiser Late Models for their twenty five lap main event. On the front row were Dave Lyon and Late Model rookie Chris Farrell awaiting the starters green flag. Lyon grabbed the early lead with Farrell in tow. Back in the field Matt Gaston and Jim Yoder began making their move to the front and made their presence felt by the midway point. Yoder met with a couple setbacks that dropped him back at the finish but Gaston just kept coming. Once he made it to the second position Gaston had a couple of mid race cautions to draw him to the rear bumper of Lyon but that was all the further he could get as Lyon was the man to beat in picking up his first career Budweiser Late Model main event at Gamblers Raceway Park. Following Lyon in the chase to the checkers were Gaston, Bobby Stokes, Nick Jones and David Scott. Heat races were coped by Lyon, Farrell, and Tom Tuite with the B-Main being won by Rick Lias.

In what is many times the most exciting and action packed race of the evening the Fred Diehl Chevrolet of Philipsburg Pure Stock came rolling onto the racing surface. With Sheddy Graham III and Gary Little on the front row, Mike Frisco threw the green flag. Graham jumped out front early and began pulling away from G. Little, Lester Hudson and Bob Alcorn. Hudson was able to slip by Little for the second position and then began to haul in Graham. Cautions on laps seven and ten put Hudson right on the rear bumper of Graham and he took full advantage of the situation. Hudson got under Graham going into corner one and powered by down the back stretch. With the white flag waving and the checkers in sight Graham and Hudson got together in corners three and four and set off a melee that sent cars in all directions. When the dust cleared the caution was waving and that set the tone for a green, white run to the checkers. On the restart Graham was able to move out front and hold on for his second win in as many weeks. The top five behind Graham at the line were G. Little, Hudson, Alcorn and Dustin Michuck. Graham and G. Little were winners in the heat races.

Around the Bull Ring: Seventy Seven (77) cars filled the pits with twenty on (21) Vocelli Pizza Street Stock, fourteen (14) Sid’s Subs Modifieds, Twenty Six (26) Budweiser Late Models and sixteen (16) Fred Diehl Chevrolet of Philipsburg Pure Stocks.

Next week we will be closed for the Easter holiday. Sunday April 27th will be Sid Subs Trophy Day and round one of the Kinetic Kuts Powder Puff series.

Hope to see you all soon at, “The Biggest Little Racetrack in America”

Summary

Vocelli Pizza Street Stocks:

Feature: 1.Frank McVay, Boalsburg 2.Kip Charles, Clearfield 3.Rich Howell, Clearfield 4.Ray Billotte, Mineral Springs 5.Scott Alvetro, Reynoldsville 6.Jeff Sweeney, Marion Center 7.Trent Ogden, Clearfield 8.Harold Seabring, Marion Center 9.Unknown 10.John Weaver, Commodore 11.Jamie Price, Hyde 12.Tom Homan, Port Matilda 13.John Emigh, Wallaceton 14.Todd Mathews, Sanborn 15.Mike Hummel, Clearfield 16.Pat Carfley, Curwensville 17.Rob Shook, Creighton 18.Dan Smeal, Ramey 19.Jason Fausnaut, Bairdford 20.Tom Williams, Tyrone DNS: Bill Phillips, Blandburg

Heat 1: Howell, Billotte, Fausnaut

Heat 2: McVay, Shook, Sweeney

Heat 3: Ogden, Charles, Alvetro

Sid’s Subs Small Block Modifieds:

Feature: 1.Tom Holden, Sheffield 2.Mike Butterworth, Osceola Mills 3.Bill Krause, Houtzdale 4.Mark Frankhouser, Philipsburg 5.Bob Garvey, Allport 6.Fay Lumadue, Spring Valley 7.Jimmy Holden, Tiona 8.Mike Stine, Smithmill 9.Brent Boyer, Bloomsburg 10.Ron Butterworth, Osceola Mills 11.Jimmer Luzier 12.Steve Williams, West Decatur 13.Connie Allen, Warren OH 14.Greg Luzier

Heat 1: Holden, M. Butterworth, Frankhouser

Heat 2: Krause, Lumadue, J. Holden

Budweiser Late models:

Feature: 1.Dave Lyon, Warren 2.Matt Gaston, Rochester Mills 3.Bobby Stokes, Milton 4.Nick Jones, Pittsburgh 5.David Scott, Garland 6.Tom Tuite, Sunbury 7.George Fultz, Beech Creek 8.Jeff Henry, Butler 9.Rick Lias, Smicksburg 10.Jim Yoder, Selinsgrove 11.Larry Hollenbaugh, Punxsy 12.Chad Valone, Russell 13.Cody Schultz, Clearfield 14.Chris Farrell, Clearfield 15.Mark Welker, Munson 16.Spanky Daughtery, Sarver 17.Doug Eck, Corey 18.Rod Phillips, Punxsy 19.Loren Sallack, Johnsonburg 20.Dan Swartzlander, Freeport

Heat 1: Lyon, Jones, Henry

Heat 2: Farrell, Stokes, Gaston

Heat 3: Tuite, Sallack, Yoder

B-Main: Lias, Swartzlander, Val Johnson, Hollidaysburg

Fred Diehl Chevrolet of Philipsburg Pure Stocks:

Feature: 1.Sheddy Graham III, Clearfield 2.Gary Little, Woodland 3.Lester Hudson, Clearfield 4.Bob Alcorn, Hummelton 5.Dustin Michuck, St Marys 6.Rich Homan, PA Furnace 7.Larry Brown, Ginter Shawn Lamoreau, Grampian 8.Chris Finnigan, Munson 9.Gary Hepler, Kersey 10.Todd Bainey, Philipsburg 11.Jason Bainey, Philipsburg 12.Rob Bailey, Clearfield 13.Fuzzy Fields, Brockport 14.Frank Little, Woodland 15.Jeff Peffer, Houtzdale DNS: Craig Bainey

Heat 1: Graham, Peffer, F. Little

Heat 2: G. Little, Fields, Hepler